Are You Ready For Tug Fest? [VIDEO]

OK, that question might sound a little dirtier than it should. But if you've never heard of Tug Fest (and I hadn't until a few weeks ago) here's a place to find out more.

In short, it's a giant tug-of-war contest stretched across the Mississippi River. And it's happening this weekend just north of the Quad Cities. All boat traffic on the river is stopped for a short amount of time as Port Byron, Ill. (hooray!) and LeClaire, Iowa (boooo!) battle for control of a 2,700-foot rope. The winner receives the Alabaster Eagle In Flight trophy and bragging rights.

Here's how it looked in 2011:

And here's Tug Fest 2012, set to Toto's "Hold The Line" for some reason:

This year's event takes place this Saturday, August 9, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. And in case you're wondering, judges stop the competition before anyone actually is dragged into the Mississippi.

Illinois leads the annual event 16 to 11. If we can't beat 'em economically, at least we're winning from a physical perspective.